Our studies in the role of stress in drug abuse have continued. We and others have shown that stress can play an important role in promoting drug self-administration and relapse to drug abuse. The corticotropin releasing hormone receptor (CRHR1) plays a central role in initiation of the response to stress. Our studies suggest that CRHR1 antagonists such as antalarmin may be useful in the treatment of human alcohol dependence and relapse to other drugs of abuse, and that optimal treatment may vary between different subtypes of patients.